Manchester United TRIED to sign Luke Shaw from Southampton when he was 16 years old

BID TO BUY: Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to sign Luke Shaw when he was 16 [GETTY]

Shaw joined Manchester United this summer following an impressive season with Southampton but he could have joined the Red Devils much earlier in his career.

Former United boss Ferguson told MUTV: “The signing of Shaw was the one we tried to get when he was 16 years of age. They wouldn’t sell him to us but they always said we’d be first to know if they ever did.

“Of course, Ed Woodward has carried that through and we got him for, I think it was £30million. He’s a talented boy, a good footballer who likes to get forward all the time."

“The signing of Shaw was the one we tried to get when he was 16 years of age”

Sir Alex Ferguson

The Kingston-upon-Thames-born left-back joined the Saints at the age of eight and his form for their youth team sparked interest from Premier League clubs in 2012.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City were linked with him but he stayed on the south coast and quickly established himself in the first team.

He was called up to the England squad for the World Cup in Brazil and completed his big-money transfer to Old Trafford after the tournament completing his whirlwind rise to the top.